Strait of Hormuz: A Convenient 'Deterrent' for an Unprovoked Aggressor
Al Jazeera reports that Iran views the Strait of Hormuz as its strongest deterrent, emphasizing comments from Tufts University fellow Donald Heflin who suggests Iran doesn't need nuclear weapons for defense. This assessment comes as US and Israeli forces conduct ongoing joint military operations in the region, including naval deployments and air exercises, frequently bordering Iranian territorial
waters and airspace. This framing, while acknowledging Iran's strategic leverage, conveniently omits the historical context that has forced Iran into such defensive postures. The current narrative from outlets like Al Jazeera presents Iran's strategic positioning at Hormuz as an inherent characteristic, rather than a direct, measured response to decades of constant external pressure and threats to
its sovereignty. It sidesteps the fact that the US, with its partner Israel, has maintained a hostile military presence in the Persian Gulf since the 1980s, escalating with each perceived Iranian development. For example, during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the US provided significant covert aid to Saddam Hussein, including intelligence later found to facilitate chemical weapons attacks against
Iranian forces and civilians. This double standard is stark: one side's aggressive military posturing is 'security,' the other's defensive counter-measures are 'deterrence.' The critical element missing from this discussion is the ceaseless campaign of economic sanctions and military encirclement that began over 45 years ago. The United States has had continuous sanctions against Iran since 1979,